Dependable Child Endangerment Attorney Representing Upstate Region Clients
Any person charged with caring for a child may face criminal child endangerment charges if proven to have put said child in imminent danger. If you have recently been accused of committing child endangerment, you are likely dealing with the stress and shame that often accompanies such charges. Richard Warder Criminal Defense Attorney is here to help so you don’t have to face this situation alone.
Child Endangerment Acts
There are many circumstances in which your actions could be considered active child endangerment, but here are some we have defended against with frequency:
- DUI with children in your vehicle
- Leaving children alone at home or in a vehicle for an unreasonable amount of time
- Committing assault against a child
- Having unsecured firearms within access of children
- Failing to properly secure children in a car
- Exposing a child to drug use, transactions, or manufacture
Passive Child Endangerment
There are also ways in which not doing anything while caring for a child may result in child endangerment charges. Several examples include, but are not limited to:
- Failing to administer necessary prescriptions or other medical care to a child
- Failing to keep a close eye on a child in a precarious environment, such as around pools or dogs
Mistakes & Reasonable Persons
Parents and caregivers shouldn’t be too worried about invoking child endangerment charges for simple mistakes, such as if a child trips and scrapes a knee or if they have an allergic reaction to a prescribed medication. In order for child endangerment charges to be filed, the prosecution must prove that the child in your care was in imminent danger of death, bodily injury, or physical or mental impairment due to your action or inaction. Accidents and mistakes do not fall into this category and it hinges on whether or not a reasonable person would anticipate that such acts could cause injury.
For example, a legitimate action that caused injury, such as playtime outside, would not be considered child endangerment if you took your child to a doctor after the injury happened. However, if you were then unable to drive the injured child to the emergency room and didn’t call an ambulance because you were too intoxicated to respond effectively, you may be facing child endangerment charges.
